Syria has found itself torn apart by a civil war that doesn't have an end in sight. The warring factions of Syria's civil war and the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) have peppered the country with constant violence transforming beautiful cities into rubble and leaving countless dead. Photographer Cengiz Yar Jr. has been capturing much of the chaos but was taken aback when he went to the Kurdish region of Rojava in northern Syria.

The Kurds have created their own government and armed forces (known as the Kurdish People's Protection Unit, or YPG) with the purpose of maintaining Kurdish freedom. They remain a neutral party within the Syrian civil war which means they have been spared a large portion of destruction that is present throughout the rest of the country. But they are still fighting hard won battles as ISIS attacks their borders on a regular basis and they have a dwindling economy due to their supply chains falling apart.

Daily life in Rojava involves Kurdish soldiers trading bullets on the front lines while the cities, largely an oasis from the fighting, see loved ones dying in a battle for Kurdish freedom.

Cengiz Yar Rajova

YPG fighters at a frontline position in their war against ISIS in southern Rojava.

A young Syriac fighter stands outside a countryside home, a former ISIS base. The YPG successfully reclaimed this base south of Qamishli in Rojava province. The Syriac militias, who are primarily Christian, fight alongside the YPG defending territory against ISIS.

A man leads a young boy along a path in northeastern Syria, carrying blankets to help douse a crop fire. The region is primarily agricultural and the war has left it almost completely cut off from outside resources. Successful harvests are vital for the survival of local communities and fires like this can devastate entire villages.

Two female YPG fighters carry a box of supplies at a lookout point at a frontline position in their war against ISIS in southern Rojava, Syria. Smoke columns from makeshift oil refineries can be seen in the background.

A deceased woman lays wrapped in a blanket. ISIS attacked this woman and her family while they slept during the early morning hours in the village of al-Taliliya. Despite the heightened security provided by the Asayish and the YPG, attacks inside Kurdish controlled territory persist. ISIS is known for their frequent use of suicide blasts, car bombs, and brutal massacres. These tactics — and their first-hand broadcast on social media — are successfully striking fear and anger into the hearts of locals.

A young Syriac fighter stands amid a destroyed church south of Qamishli in Rojava province in Syria. ISIS reportedly destroyed the church when they captured the town. The primarily Christian Syriac militias fight alongside the YPG defending territory against ISIS.

Women mourn during a funeral in Qamishli for six Kurdish People’s Protection Unit (YPG) fighters killed in clashes with the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) near al-Taliliya Syria. Killed while protecting Kurdish controlled cities against ISIS martyred Kurds are given massive funerals.

Mayor of al-Qamishli, Muáz Abdulkarim, steadies himself for a portrait. He is forced to move around on crutches because of the a broken leg sustained after a suicide attack by the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS) on his offices in mid March. Muáz is six months into his two year term as the first democratically elected Kurdish Mayor of al-Qamishli since Assad's regime relinquished control of the city. The problems the faces as mayor are staggering, as city services and funding for the estimated 400,000 residents were non-existent when the government was first established in late 2013.

A YPG fighter walks atop a partially destroyed Sufi mosque at a frontline position in the war against ISIS in the town of Til Meruf. Unlike other groups plagued by infighting, the YPG has maintained a unified and organized presence throughout the region. They work hand-in-hand with the Kurdish police force of the Asayish to enforce civil security measures, and support each other in combat against ISIS when needed.

A group of young girls stand outside a wedding ceremony on the outskirts of Qamishli, the largest city in Rojava province. People in Qamishli are trying to get on with their lives despite the war surrounding them, and marriages are celebrated enthusiastically.

Two young men check their mobile phones while preparing for bed on the roof of their parents’ house on the outskirts of Qamishli. Lights from the Turkish border illuminate the background. Syrian cellular and internet services no longer work in northeastern Syria and the Turkish cellular service Turkcell is now used, when it’s available, for communications. Frequent power outages and fuel shortages make sleeping inside at night during the warmer months uncomfortable. People instead opt to sleep on large bed frames elevated above the rooftops of their houses to enjoy the cool night air.

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